
Until recently, ChristmasReviews.com was that place. Christmas Reviews is shutting down their doors after a dozen years of providing Christmas music fans such as myself with a place to learn about the CDs no one else wants to talk about, because they're just too "obscure" and "small". There's nothing "small" about raising money to feed children and fight cancer. Nothing. I know it would be neigh on impossible to fill the huge shoes of Christmas Reviews, but I do hope Stubbys can fill a tiny bit of that void.
And Stubby luvs him some local artist Christmas compilation. As a subset of the entire genre, it's easily my favorite.
In Christmas music, local artist comps are the closest thing to opening the good Christmas presents on Christmas morning. You know the ones. OK, this box probably has socks and that one has that little gadget I was asking for, but, ooooh, what's in this one?
Musically, such compilations can be, and usually are, all over the map. I like that in a compilation. There are originals of every kind--some clever, some fun, some heart wrenching--and different arrangements of the old standards. These albums rarely get distributed beyond the local area. And they're usually available, in comparatively limited numbers, for the one year and then they're gone...even before the last bit of snow has disappeared from the ground. When the proceeds are for charity, the collections are just that much more special--that much more Christmas. The local artists get some exposure, worthy charities raise much needed funds, and the listener gets some great new holiday music. Everybody wins!
If you hear of a local artist Christmas compilation in your little corner of the world, we'd appreciate a heads up. Then we can help send others your way.